He [Dr. Sipe] is kind and comforting during what is an extremely stressful process. You don't get a lot of time with him. Frankly, I only saw him when I was in for a consult. Over a year, I believe we had 5 consults, but I was okay with that. His job was to get me pregnant and to oversee my treatment not to hold my hand for every step of the way...You are your own best advocate. My advice is to go in prepared with a list of questions. Chances are Dr. Sipe will answer them without you having to ask them, but it's good to have them handy. Time with an FCI doctor is precious so use it to your advantage and ask as many questions as you want/need to...

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Age

36

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

South Asian

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Lawyer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

7 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

Dr. Sipe is an excellent clinician. He was sympathetic, comforting, and compassionate. Most importantly, he is kind.
He took the time to walk through our diagnosis and recent test results. He answered all of our questions (many before we even asked them).

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

You are your own best advocate. My advice is to go in prepared with a list of questions. Chances are Dr. Sipe will answer them without you having to ask them, but it's good to have them handy. Time with an FCI doctor is precious so use it to your advantage and ask as many questions as you want/need to.
Dr. Sipe will never make you feel rushed and he will always walk through each step of your treatment. If you need him to repeat himself, he will.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

FCI is a large practice and you will feel like a number when you go in for blood work and ultra sounds, but Dr. Sipe makes every effort to engage with you when you go in for consults. He is kind and comforting during what is an extremely stressful process.
You don't get a lot of time with him. Frankly, I only saw him when I was in for a consult. Over a year, I believe we had 5 consults, but I was okay with that. His job was to get me pregnant and to oversee my treatment not to hold my hand for every step of the way.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

We transferred from another practice in a different state. Dr. Sipe was recommended to us by a friend who works in infertility (i.e., he is an embryologist in a different state and reached out to his network to get us a referral).
Because we participate in a health insurance plan (Aetna) that follows the Illinois mandate, we were required to do 6 cycles of Clomid with IUI before we could get cleared to do IVF. After the first 3 failed cycles, Dr. Sipe wanted us to move to IVF but we had to do 3 more cycles before we could get approved. He expressed sympathy and frustration at the needless bureaucracy.
After getting cleared for IVF, we did the long Lupron protocol and did a fresh embryo transfer, which worked! We are now pregnant and have several embryos that we were able to freeze.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

Meghan is an incredibly sympathetic and kind nurse. She always answered my questions and promptly responded to my phone calls and e-mails.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

My understanding is that FCI is the third largest infertility practice in the country. This means there are a LOT of patients in the waiting room (especially at the River North Clinic) and you may feel like a number. Do not let this alarm you! There are numerous benefits of being at a large practice. Their SART numbers are fantastic. They have a lot of experience dealing with a variety of diagnoses (male infertility factor, low AMH, etc.). They have many experienced phlebotomists and ultra sound technicians and do their best to move through patients as quickly as possible.
If you can, try to get a doctor who does IVF procedures at the River North Clinic (as opposed to the Highland Park Clinic), because patients at River North can do retrievals and transfers based on their own cycle unlike patients at the Highland Park Clinic who have to cycle up when FCI has time at the clinic.
Tip: If you're doing monitoring out of the River North Clinic, try to make your appointments around 9:15AM -- you miss the 1st morning rush and come in before the 2nd morning rush.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

Treatment covered by insurance -- we paid copays and coinsurance.

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

2

Age

39

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

1 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality

2

He [Dr. Christopher Sipe] is a smart doctor. He relies heavily on results, studies, and research. We appreciate all of those things but also wanted compassion and personalization. I also didn't enjoy the 'poor responder" placed on me much of the time. We also felt that we had to do a lot of homework as supplemental treatments weren't really discussed. I didn't like feeling like we had to remember everything to ask or it wouldn't be offered.

+ Read more

Age

39

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

No

Race

Latino

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 2 Docs

Treatment

1 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Male Factor, Poor Egg Quality

2

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

He is a smart doctor. He relies heavily on results, studies, and research. We appreciate all of those things but also wanted compassion and personalization. I also didn't enjoy the 'poor responder" placed on me much of the time. We also felt that we had to do a lot of homework as supplemental treatments weren't really discussed. I didn't like feeling like we had to remember everything to ask or it wouldn't be offered.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Don't expect to be coddled and do your own homework.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

A little too blunt for our taste. It often felt like information shared was in the form of "ripping the bandaid off" and with dry humor. We always wanted the honest answers but would have preferred more compassion surrounding this topic.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

We primarily worked with Anto Higgins and she was the shining light in our experience with Dr.Sipe and River North FCI. The only thing I felt bad about was that Anto would take any of the negative feedback/ frustrations that we shared personally. I found the nursing staff to be very frustrating with sharing conflicting/competing information, the lack of compassion, and lack of information shared about procedures. I felt that I had to turn into a nurse myself to make sure I was aware of what all was happening to my body and I found that to be unacceptable. The whole experience added so much more stress to an already stressful situation.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

It feels like a cattle call, but you typically aren't waiting too long. I've had many issues with calling and not being able to leave a voicemail or have one returned in a timely manner with trying to book appointments.

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Failed to call in prescriptions to pharmacy

Provided conflicting information

2

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

4

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

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10

Age

31

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IVF

Diagnosis

Male Factor

10

I thought Dr. Sipe was knowledgeable and kind. He made sure we understood what was happening. Our clinic was large, so while he did our consultation, explained what we were testing (and did some himself) and gave the results and prescribed next steps, I did not see him each time I was in the clinic. For me this was fine because it meant I didn't need to be there as long each time... He will tell you what is going on in a way you can understand, but doesn't seem big on sugar-coating.

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Age

31

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Marketer or PR

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IVF

Diagnosis

Male Factor

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

I thought Dr. Sipe was knowledgeable and kind. He made sure we understood what was happening. Our clinic was large, so while he did our consultation, explained what we were testing (and did some himself) and gave the results and prescribed next steps, I did not see him each time I was in the clinic. For me this was fine because it meant I didn't need to be there as long each time.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

He will tell you what is going on in a way you can understand, but doesn't seem big on sugar-coating.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

Dr. Sipe was very friendly, and it helped that he went to med school with my husband's urologist. He used humor at times (never in a way that made me uncomfortable), and he was respectful of our apprehension/pessimism. He did a good job explaining the steps, which I appreciated. But I should note that while he treated me he was not on call for my retrieval or transfer, so different doctors did the actual procedures. But it was explained this was a possibility at the very beginning, so it wasn't a surprise.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

We needed ivf with icsi due to male factor issues, so we were trying to limit my follicle growth without suppressing. Sorry, but I don't remember my protocols exactly.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

I worked very closely with the nurses and emailed them often. They called frequently (sometimes daily) to tell me anything about my blood draws and any changes to my protocol. There was one day where I did not get a call (my coordinator was off) and sort of freaked out, but after calling and leaving a message I had a prompt response. All told, it was a good experience.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Strengths: top embryologists, super organized, convenient to my home and work, clean, made parking accessible.
Weaknesses: men are considered not the primary patient. With MFI this is a huge weakness. My husband felt uncomfortable in the sperm rooms because they were off of the main hallway and he could hear all the people coming and going, and his calls were not always returned the way mine are. They need to remember male patients are often half of the equation. Also very large, so it can feel like a cattle call during blood draws and ultrasounds in the morning.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

There was a financial counselor assigned to our case, which was helpful. They ran our insurance and gave us the best description of services and costs (better than the insurance company), and it was very accurate. Since we had insurance coverage our costs were very luckily minimal.

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Failed to call with results

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

35

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

2 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

Dr. Sipe has a very sympathetic and kind disposition. He helped my husband and I keep a sense of humor throughout this process, which really resonated with us. He was also very upfront about the risks of multiples and advised against multiple embryo transfers in our particular situation. He took great care to explain our test results and treatments. We met with him at our first initial consult, a follow-up consult to begin IUI treatment, a consult to begin IVF treatment and then a r

+ Read more

Age

35

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, Native American

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Writer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

2 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

Dr. Sipe has a very sympathetic and kind disposition. He helped my husband and I keep a sense of humor throughout this process, which really resonated with us. He was also very upfront about the risks of multiples and advised against multiple embryo transfers in our particular situation. He took great care to explain our test results and treatments. We met with him at our first initial consult, a follow-up consult to begin IUI treatment, a consult to begin IVF treatment and then a review of our first IVF cycle, which failed, to talk about what he would change for the second cycle. He also did perform my embryo retrieval. 3 different other doctors performed my first transfer, second retrieval and second transfer--doctors in the practice rotate for those procedures and you work with whomever is on duty that day. Dr. Sipe is just the right combination of frank and empathetic.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Do your own research and ask questions! The more you show that you know about the process, the better conversations you can have. Also, there are no dumb questions. Dr. Sipe can break down anything for you and make it more understandable.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

FCI is a very large organization, but I primarily went to a suburban satellite office that was small in size. There was always the same receptionist, same billing person, my doctor and three nurses. 90% of the time, it was my primary nurse who called with my results. It was only on weekends for monitoring for my two IUIs and IVF cycles that I felt more like a number when I had to go to their central River North location. The waiting rooms are full and several women are herded in many at a time for ultrasounds and blood draws. During IVF procedures, however, the experience was very intimate and we did not feel like a number at all.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

For the first IVF cycle, we did the standard protocol for an unexplained diagnosis: One month birth control, Lupron for suppression, followed by Follistim and Menopur. We retrieved 11 eggs, 8 of which were mature and 4 fertilized. 3 made it to Day 3, he recommended we transfer 2 10-cell embryos and the third leftover made it to blastocyst and was frozen. At our IVF post-mortem, Dr. Sipe told us that I didn't respond as well as hoped to this protocol and that my follicles grew in a wide spread of sizes. His goal with the second cycle would be to change the protocol with the goal of creating more eggs that are closer in size. The second cycle protocol was three days of Ganirelix only for suppression, followed by higher doses of Follistim and Menopur, then Ganirelix introduced again prior to retrieval. The second cycle retrieved 11 eggs, all 11 were mature, 8 fertilized and 6 made it to blastocyst stage on Day 5. We transferred one single embryo on Day 5 and have just received two positive betas with hope for a successful pregnancy. We have 1 embryo frozen from the first cycle and 5 from the second cycle for future attempts. Though we did not meet the goal of creating MORE eggs the second cycle, it was far and away a better cycle with better results, and my follicles grew close in size with the second protocol. It was obvious throughout the whole cycle that my body responded better. I was also more relaxed because I knew what to expect.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

Agnes called me with test results and always responded to my emails in a timely fashion if I emailed her with lower-priority questions. It was obvious to me that she works with a lot of patients because she would not remember specific details about my past with the practice, such as whether or not I had IUIs prior to IVF, etc. The more time I spent with the practice, the more familiar I felt she was with me. When other nurses subbed in for Agnes or when I was monitored over the weekend at a different office, I found that other nurses often gave me more information as far as specific numbers; sometimes I would have to ask for exact values rather than just hearing from her that they were "good" or "normal" or "a little low."

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

FCI has a state of the art IVF clinic that's one of the biggest and best in the area, which I consider a good thing for IVF because you want experience on your side when it comes to embryologists and doctors. One thing to keep in mind is that the chances are small that your doctor will perform one or more of your procedures. Nurses perform IUIs and the doctors rotate for retrievals and transfers. I had 4 different doctors (one was my own doctor) for the 2 retrievals and 2 transfers I did and you will be meeting those doctors on the day of the procedure just a few minutes before. Being monitored at one of the smaller suburban satellite offices provided a more intimate experience than the main hub in River North, which is higher volume.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

We have insurance coverage for infertility after meeting our $5,000 deductible. Items not covered by our insurance included backup sperm freeze for IVF ($500) and embryo freezing ($1200 up front plus additional yearly cost, about $500)

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Lost appointments

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

9

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Oakbrook Terrace (closed)

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

29 - 33

Treated

2010 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

4 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

He [Dr Sipe] also never pushed us to pursue any course of treatment and was willing to work with us - we wanted to use any embryo we created but also didn't want 10 children, so we limited the number of eggs we attempted to fertilize. It was clearly not normal procedure for the clinic, but he was willing to do what we were comfortable with. Anything negative I would say about him would actually be about the clinic or certain nurses, so perhaps the negative about him is t

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Age

29 - 33

Treated

2010 - 2014

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Teacher

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

4 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Unexplained

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

Dr. Sipe listened to our concerns and responded with helpful advice (encouraging us to seek further information from third parties so we didn't feel as though the information was biased). He always seemed to remember information about us as though he really did remember us (I have a hard time believing any doctor really remembers many of their patients :)), always set us at ease by joking with us, and showed a lot of compassion for the rocky rough road of infertility. He also never pushed us to pursue any course of treatment and was willing to work with us - we wanted to use any embryo we created but also didn't want 10 children, so we limited the number of eggs we attempted to fertilize. It was clearly not normal procedure for the clinic, but he was willing to do what we were comfortable with. Anything negative I would say about him would actually be about the clinic or certain nurses, so perhaps the negative about him is that he didn't watch a particular nurse closely enough, but I'm not sure how much control he has over that.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Be willing to voice all of your concerns - he will listen and he will do his best to reassure/respond.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

My husband and I were very hesitant to pursue IVF for ethical reasons. Rather than just writing us off or dismissing our concerns, he addressed our concerns and encouraged us to talk with a Christian doctor we trusted or a pastor at our church. It is thanks to his willingness to listen that we now have 3 beautiful children.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

I know there were adjustments made from my first IVF cycle (4 embryos created, negative pregnancy test with first two embryos, and chemical pregnancy with FET with remaining two) to the second, and I believe it was to potentially improve the quality of the eggs retrieved (we were limiting the number of eggs retrieved and fertilized for our personal ethical reasons). The successful IVF cycle (twins with the 2 embryos, and then singleton with FET with remaining embryo two years later), we asked that Dr. Sipe do ICSI with only half of the eggs we were choosing to fertilize. Of the 10 we chose to fertilize (we froze the rest), 2 of the non-ICSI eggs became our twins, and 1 of the 5 ICSI became our singleton. The rest didn't make it.
We started with birth control pills the cycle before retrieval and added lupron a little under a month later (my cycles were always screwy, and I always developed cysts with the birth control pills that slowed the process down). I don't remember cycle dates of when we started the remaining medications, but as we were trying to limit the number of eggs retrieved, we lowered the dosage of medications for the second round. I was on Lupron, Follistim, and Menopur for stim. Then did the HCG shot, and began progesterone in oil injections, vivelle dot patches, and baby aspirin during the 2ww. (And beyond for this cycle!)

Describe your experience with your nurse.

My final primary nurse (I had several over the years) was awesome (how can I not remember her name?!). She was so caring and was willing to talk on the phone as long as I needed, answered any stupid questions I had (I had already gone through 2 IVFs and an FET at this point, so you would think I didn't have any more questions). She was so compassionate - I really like her a lot. The first I had no longer works at FCI, but she was terrible - if she was still working there after messing up one of my cycles really badly - resulting in cancelling it and delaying starting again for 2 months - we would have requested a different nurse. Thankfully she had moved on (of her own choice). The second was ok - Amanda, she just didn't have great "bedside manners", but she was efficient and organized. She may have been going through something because some days she was really friendly and others she seemed to be in a bad mood.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

I've heard it described as a "baby factory". I personally don't think this is completely fair. It seemed to me that the doctors were willing to and wanting to deviate from "normal" protocols for individual women and do what is best for each patient. I even had a doctor perform a procedure on a holiday at the request of Dr. Sipe just because I had been traveling and if we didn't do it on this particular day, my next IVF would have been delayed by another month. He didn't have to do this, but he was willing to help us out. I appreciate that it's a huge clinic as it meant I didn't have to "cycle with other women" - we did it on my cycle, and there were doctors available every day of the week. Dr. Sipe did not perform all of my procedures, but that didn't bother me, either, as I know all the doctors at this clinic are very good at what they do.
Although at first I felt a bit nameless in the clinic, by the time I got pregnant with my twins, the nurses and office staff were asking to see the ultrasound pics and celebrating with me. They knew me by name and were so compassionate and kind. I cried when we left for the final time because although I was glad to have that journey behind me, I appreciated the people who worked in the clinic very much and still kind of miss seeing them at 6:00 in the morning!
It was also super helpful that they have clinics all over Chicagoland as I was able to do a lot of the monitoring at a clinic that was closer to my place of work, thus meaning I didn't miss work as much as I otherwise would have.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

We had fantastic medical insurance, so I'm not entirely sure. I do know that when we had the first round of testing done and discovered that insurance didn't cover these tests, we didn't think we could afford to do anything else, but the clinic worked with us so that we could continue. The woman I talked to on the phone from the billing office was absolutely wonderful.

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Failed to call with results

Failed to order appropriate test

Failed to send your chart to another clinic

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol

Provided conflicting information

Failed to convey critical information

Canceled a cycle due to clinic error

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

9

Age

30

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

2 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

PCOS, Tubal Blockage

9

I absolutely trust Dr. Sipe's medical opinion. Especially during the whole IVF process, I had tons of questions and he very patiently explained all of them. He always explained why he was taking the course of action he did, what were medical standards, what were reasons that he adopted certain standards. Probably my main negative is that he was sometimes paternalistic. My husband found that very comforting, myself less so. Also he was very thorough at explaining risks even if sometimes we'd rather not have heard it.

+ Read more

Age

30

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

South Asian

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

2nd of 2 Docs

Treatment

2 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

PCOS, Tubal Blockage

9

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

I absolutely trust Dr. Sipe's medical opinion. Especially during the whole IVF process, I had tons of questions and he very patiently explained all of them. He always explained why he was taking the course of action he did, what were medical standards, what were reasons that he adopted certain standards.
Probably my main negative is that he was sometimes paternalistic. My husband found that very comforting, myself less so. Also he was very thorough at explaining risks even if sometimes we'd rather not have heard it.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Expect most of the communication to be through his nurses. Advocate for yourself if you need to.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

I think feeling like a number is almost inevitable during the fertility process - there's just so many tests and checks. But I also realized that the further in the process I went (IVF vs easier treatments), the more personalized care and check-ins I got from the nurses/doctors.
In the early days, being treated like a number was almost comforting - it gave me hope that this is all so routine that I'll be out of there in no time.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

I had a long delay in starting treatments while I started thyroid treatment to get my TSH to &lt; 2.5 which seems to be the norms expected in the fertility/OB community. There was also a long back and forth between my endocrinologist and RE because my TSH values aren't as stable as they say it should be (in retrospect I think other factors, including time of day of testing make a difference). Eventually, I pushed to start fertility treatments once my endocrinologist was comfortable with it.
Fertility Treatments:
chemical pregnancy (no treatment, while waiting to start)
IUI #1: clomid 50mg, HCG trigger. No pregnancy
IUI #2: clomid 50mg, HCG trigger. Ectopic pregnancy. Treated with methotrexate.
HSG shows tubes are clear but aren't functioning the way they should.
Birth control for 3 months after ectopic to (a) prevent a pregnancy while methotrexate clears out of the system (b) resets the body in preparation for IVF.
IVF (egg retrieval): gonalF + menopur + cetrotide. Doses adjusted as needed based on regularly blood tests/ultrasounds. Protocol chosen since it often works well for PCOS. HCG trigger. ICSI+assisted hatching (not sure if they did the latter but we gave consent to). ICSI was recommended for PCOS and we saw no downside. 13 eggs retrieved -&gt; 9 fertilized -&gt; 4 day5 blasts
IVF (fresh transfer): PIO+minivelle patches+baby aspirin to prep lining. Transferred 1 embryo. No pregnancy
FET: Lupron+Minivelle+PIO+baby aspirin. 2 embryos transferred (recommended because frozen success rates are lower than fresh). 2 gestational sacs : 1 blighted ovum, 1 (so far) healthy pregnancy.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

The staff at FCI is excellent.
My nurse was the one who coordinated my treatment, called with results, etc. They were always responsive and responded within the day. They were the ones who bore the brunt of my questions. They always called when they said they would so I knew that I would always get my test results within the day.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

I've been very happy with FCI.
The clinic itself is very well run - from the nursing staff to the administrative staff to the lab. They know what they're doing and they do it well.
Probably the hardest part of dealing with the clinic is getting that initial appointment (which can sometimes be a bit of a wait). But once you're in the door, they are very easy to work with.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

IL has a fertility mandate in place so everything (including up to 4 egg retrievals) is covered by insurance. In brackets are the amounts that I personally owed/paid.
Initial battery of tests ~$3.5k (out of pocket $800).
Each of the IUI's were ~$2.5k (out of pocket ~$400).
The ectopic was another $2k (meds/monitoring/etc) (out of pocket $400).
HSG had a facility fee so $1.2k.
IVF $17k (out of pocket $3k)
FET $5k (out of pocket $500)

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Lost results

9

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

31 - 32

Treated

2009 - 2010

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

3 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Anovulation, PCOS

10

Dr. Sipe keeps adjusting protocols until things are right...If you are looking for a doctor who is warm and light hearted, with a sense of humor, he is it.

+ Read more

Age

31 - 32

Treated

2009 - 2010

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Anovulation, PCOS

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

Dr. Sipe was very good about being warm and compassionate. At times we could have used more "information" but once we asked the right questions, we always got the answers we needed. I loved that he would do any and all procedures (IUI, retrieval, transfers, etc) if he was available. I still remember his personal call to me to let me know I was pregnant. He made sure to make himself available when we had important things to discuss, milestones to hit, changes in treatment, next steps, good news, bad news and all in-between!

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

If you are looking for a doctor who is warm and light hearted, with a sense of humor, he is it. He treats you like a person not a number. He keeps adjusting protocols until things are right. I loved working with him and would recommend him to friends and family who are struggling with infertility.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

Dr. Sipe, in my opinion, had a very warm bedside manor. He helped keep things as "light" as they could be, and walked us through the process. We had questions, and hiccups along the way, but overall we had a good experience! He made sure that if he was available to do a procedure, he did it. He also took the time to call us with results, updates, etc!

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

My issue was not getting a period to return after getting off the pill (I was on the pill for 15 years). He used a mixture of clomid, progesterone and estrogen supplementation just to get my period started (took a year of trial and error). Once I got my period, we tried a cycle with injectables and tried naturally, which was unsuccessful. We tried again another cycle for IUI with injectables and were unsuccessful. We tried IUI again with a different protocol and ended up canceling the cycle because I was overstimulated. We tried our last IUI and ended up with a chemical pregnancy. From there we switched to IVF and our fist attempt was successful! - for IVF we used Lupron, Menopur, and Follistim, also I had to be on progesterone supplementation throughout.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

JJ (who I believe is not longer at FCI) was warm and caring. She was exactly what I needed in a nurse. Great follow up and explanation of steps and medication. My only complaint - and this isn't JJ specific, is the clinic didn't do a great job of explaining the shot process (both abdominal and in the behind). We could have used more help there and had to do a lot of web research on how to best administer shots.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

It is one of the largest, if not the largest in the city. The number of patients there didn't bother me, but some say it feels like a "factory". To me it just meant "I'm not alone, there are others in the same state as me." Overall you could tell they saw a lot of patients and to me that meant a lot of experience.

Describe your experience with your monitoring appointments.

Monitoring was easy, I would just go early in the am and wait, but never more than 10-15 minutes for blood draws and/or ultrasounds.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

I don't remember, we had great insurance (luckily), and had to pay maybe 10% out of pocket.

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

8

Age

—

Treated

—

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

3 IUI

Diagnosis

Unexplained

8

I felt at ease in our appointments and liked Dr. Sipe’s optimism. He was very up front about our odds and treatment steps moving forward. I wish we had a bit more direct interaction/communication with him.... We have completed three IUI cycles under Dr. Sipe. I was prescribed 5 days of 50mg Clomid starting on day 3 of my cycle. After monitoring appts, I was I triggered with Novarelle HCG intramuscular injection. The IUI was performed the next morning. I came in one week after IUI for progesterone testing to confirm ovulation and two weeks later for pregnancy test. Same protocol each cycle, no successes.

+ Read more

Age

—

Treated

—

Success with this Doc

No

Race

European

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

Operations

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 IUI

Diagnosis

Unexplained

8

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

I felt at ease in our appointments and liked Dr. Sipe’s optimism. He was very up front about our odds and treatment steps moving forward. I wish we had a bit more direct interaction/communication with him.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Expect most communication to come from his nurses, not from Dr. Sipe himself.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

I have very limited direct interaction with the doctor outside of consultation appointments, but Dr. Sipe’s nurses have been helpful and responsive and in that case has made me feel more like a human than a number.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

We have completed three IUI cycles under Dr. Sipe. I was prescribed 5 days of 50mg Clomid starting on day 3 of my cycle. After monitoring appts, I was I triggered with Novarelle HCG intramuscular injection. The IUI was performed the next morning. I came in one week after IUI for progesterone testing to confirm ovulation and two weeks later for pregnancy test. Same protocol each cycle, no successes.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

Most of my interaction was with Liala and she was always willing to explain results and answer my questions. She promptly called after appointments. When other nurses contacted me, I also had very positive interactions with them as well.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Strengths- Easy to make appointments, positive interactions with all staff members, timely appointments, genera feeling that they know what they are doing!
Weakness- Billing has been complicated at times, had to call after appointments were not submitted to my insurance, didn’t always receive responses when I called or emailed with questions. They switched billing systems and patients were not informed, I only found out after asking why I stopped receiving bills in the mail. All issues were eventually resolved.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

In total we’ve spent around $2,400 for initial testing, consult, and 3 IUI cycles.

8

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

9

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

—

Treated

—

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

1 IUI, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

—

10

Dr. Sipe is direct and precise. He lets you know what you’re looking at and is very honest and clear about your situation. All the while, he’s still able to show compassion and very willing to hear you out and try to ease any concerns.... The intial steps were a series of tests throughout my cycle to make sure everything was okay. Everything came back fine except my progesterone level. It was lower than he would have liked to see so I was prescribed Clomid 50mg for 5 days. Once that was through they monitored the follicles to make sure they were growing okay, and when they got to a sufficient size, I did a trigger shot of hcg to force ovulation. The following day and the day after that they performed an IUI. 12 days later they did a blood test and found I was pregnant! Prescribed me Crinone 8% vaginal gel to help my progesterone levels continue to rise, which I continued for 30 days. Had a vaginal Ultrasound at 5 weeks and found out it’s twins!

+ Read more

Age

—

Treated

—

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$0 - $49K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IUI, Donor Sperm

Diagnosis

—

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

Dr. Sipe is direct and precise. He lets you know what you’re looking at and is very honest and clear about your situation. All the while, he’s still able to show compassion and very willing to hear you out and try to ease any concerns.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

See him, he’s great!

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

The entire staff was helpful and kind. There were many quick appointments and tests but I never felt like I was just being shuffled around. They always took time to answer any questions and make sure I felt comfortable.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

The intial steps were a series of tests throughout my cycle to make sure everything was okay. Everything came back fine except my progesterone level. It was lower than he would have liked to see so I was prescribed Clomid 50mg for 5 days. Once that was through they monitored the follicles to make sure they were growing okay, and when they got to a sufficient size, I did a trigger shot of hcg to force ovulation. The following day and the day after that they performed an IUI. 12 days later they did a blood test and found I was pregnant! Prescribed me Crinone 8% vaginal gel to help my progesterone levels continue to rise, which I continued for 30 days. Had a vaginal Ultrasound at 5 weeks and found out it’s twins!

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

All the nurses were incredible. Kind and patient and very knowledgeable. They did so much during the whole process and I will forever be grateful for all their help.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Wonderful staff and beautiful office. Many locations so if there isn’t an appointment available, you do have the option of seeing another clinic considering most of the tests are time sensitive. It felt like the nurses are always available or get back to you quickly. Never any mishaps or confusion, the staff seemed to always be aware and on top of everything.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

Thankfully my insurance had great coverage, once I met my $3000 deductible. That is the amount I paid for everything excluding the specimen.

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

—

Treated

—

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Uterine Fibroids, Other

10

I was on menopur and follistum both rounds but starts with Lupron and went to Ganirelix for the 2nd round [with Dr. Christoper Sipe]... He was knowledgeable and patient. He explained everything and made us feel comfortable. He truly seemed like he wanted to help us start our family. He was willing to meet with us whenever we needed him. He also removed a polyp before our first retrieval and I felt very safe and in good hands.

+ Read more

Age

—

Treated

—

Success with this Doc

No

Race

European

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Sales Representative

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 2 Docs

Treatment

2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Uterine Fibroids, Other

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

He was knowledgeable and patient. He explained everything and made us feel comfortable. He truly seemed like he wanted to help us start our family. He was willing to meet with us whenever we needed him. He also removed a polyp before our first retrieval and I felt very safe and in good hands.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Go into Ivf with an open mind. This can take some time. Also ask about the statistics for your specific age. That is very important to manage expectations.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

His staff was amazing. They got to know me and really took great care of me.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

I was on menopur and follistum both rounds but starts with Lupron and went to Ganirelix for the 2nd round. The clinic helped me out with medication when I ran out of coverage. I had better results with Lupron.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

The entire staff was excellent. They all knew me by name and did their best to make me feel comfortable. I enjoyed chatting with Robin when I needed blood drawn. Stacy was a Great tech. And Patricia eased my nerves with every change and helped me with meds when I was running low.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

They are organized and efficient. I never waited more than 10 minutes for an appointment. They also have a Chicago office for weekend appointments. The retrieval’s were both smooth and I was very comfortable each time.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

I have a blue cross PPO. Both my procedures were covered at 100 percent. They were around $5000. All the monitoring was covered by insurance as well.

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Glenview

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

37 - 40

Treated

2013 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

4 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality

10

He [Dr. Sipe] is very informative and nice and doesn't sugar coat. I have already referred 3 people to him and 2 of which have children and one is currently in his care. That pretty much speaks for itself...He was very personable and nice. He displayed my son's birth announcement in his office...

+ Read more

Age

37 - 40

Treated

2013 - 2016

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

—

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

4 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

He is very informative and nice and doesn't sugar coat. I have already referred 3 people to him and 2 of which have children and one is currently in his care. That pretty much speaks for itself.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

You will be more in contact with his nurse than him, but they do deliver questions to him for answers.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

He was very personable and nice. He displayed my son's birth announcement in his office.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

Estrogen priming worked for me.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

Anto is the best nurse at FCI, she emailed back within 6 hours with all information. She was very compassionate and I felt like I was her friend.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

It is very much a well oiled machine. There are hundreds of women there; so expect that you won't get much one-one attention every single day throughout your cycle. If you do what they say and show up on time; you will be successful.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

11K for all of the monitoring and egg retrieval/transfer. 15k for medication

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

10

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

9

Age

32

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

1 IVF

Diagnosis

—

9

He [Dr. Sipe] is a wonderful doctor. The fact that I had a disappointing outcome was not due to him. Very knowledgeable, a good communicator, and (unlike the rest of the clinic) actually runs on time...He is a great doc but I'm considering leaving due to the obscene waits...Advocate for shorter wait times...

+ Read more

Age

32

Treated

2016

Success with this Doc

No

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

—

Occupation

Marketer or PR

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

1 IVF

Diagnosis

—

9

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

He is a wonderful doctor. The fact that I had a disappointing outcome was not due to him. Very knowledgeable, a good communicator, and (unlike the rest of the clinic) actually runs on time

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Advocate for shorter wait times. He is a great doc but I'm considering leaving due to the obscene waits.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

He is a very compassionate doctor

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

Typical ivf cycle and FET

Describe your experience with your nurse.

My biggest frustration with nursing team was lack of communication. I would often need to wait many hours for a call back to questions. The primary nurse was also constantly OOO and there was no clear back up. Over July 4th I was frantic to get ahold of someone and I got like 5 OOo messages.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

The biggest issue are the waits. Verrry often I would wait 2 hours to get through an appt. this is not acceptable and somewhat cruel when we women are going there constantly- managing kids and work.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

$25k

9

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Frequency seen during appointments

7

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

29 - 31

Treated

2013 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

3 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Male Factor

10

Dr. Sipe always new our medical details rather than staring at a computer screen the whole time we spoke and also asked how we were thinking and feeling at different stages along the way...Be certain to bring specific questions. Especially if you will be having testing done outside the downtown Chicago location.

+ Read more

Age

29 - 31

Treated

2013 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 IUI, 1 IVF

Diagnosis

Male Factor

10

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Be certain to bring specific questions. Especially if you will be having testing done outside the downtown Chicago location.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

Dr. Sipe always new our medical details rather than staring at a computer screen the whole time we spoke) and also asked how we were thinking and feeling at different stages along the way.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

We started with 3 rounds of IUI with Clomid (5 days 50 mg start day 3). And ended up moving on to IVF with ICSI with assisted hatching using lupron, 75 units follistim and 75 units of menopur and 10 units of luprone 6pm-9pm for 5 days and then triggered with 500 HCG. After the 5 day transfer progesterone patch was used along with POI (until 11 weeks).

Describe your experience with your nurse.

My nurse was difficult to get a hold of for same day response and frequently forgot which clinic location I was going to.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

I'm sorry, billing came in over such a long period I am not certain how cost really broke down.

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Provided conflicting information

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

8

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

5

Age

36 - 38

Treated

2014 - 2016

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

3 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Poor Egg Quality

5

Dr. Sipe was friendly, but didn't explain things in detailed terms. Hr tip toed around questions. Really rush face to face interviews. I felt like a number and not a patient. I wish he would have done all tests before hand than waiting to test after failed cycle.... Never really took time and explained things really fast. Never give me straight answers.... The nurses were not compassionate. They never will returned calls back or give results on time. I think the nurses needed training on how to treat patients.

+ Read more

Age

36 - 38

Treated

2014 - 2016

Success with this Doc

No

Race

Black or African-American

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 2 Docs

Treatment

3 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Poor Egg Quality

5

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

Dr. Sipe was friendly, but didn't explain things in detailed terms. Hr tip toed around questions. Really rush face to face interviews. I felt like a number and not a patient. I wish he would have done all tests before hand than waiting to test after failed cycle.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Ask questions and do medical research before going.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

Never really took time and explained things really fast. Never give me straight answers.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

I really don't remember, but a lot of injectables with progesterone. Babys aspirin taking daily until pregnancy test. Clomid given first retrieval and second retrieval lupron and follistism.

Describe your experience with your nurse.

The nurses were not compassionate. They never will returned calls back or give results on time. I think the nurses needed training on how to treat patients.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

The clinic was clean but was always to pack and busy where you would wait 1hr for ultrasound or lab draw.

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

I had insurance but out of pocket total $4,000 for labs and deductibles.

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Failed to call with results

Failed to order appropriate test

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol

Lost results

Failed to convey critical information

5

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

6

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

39 - 41

Treated

2013 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Uterine Fibroids, Other

10

He is genuine & kind. He gave us the percentages & was willing to work with us to help us achieve our goal of having a child. I miss not being able to see him regularly as I would my obgyn. He is one special doctor!

+ Read more

Age

39 - 41

Treated

2013 - 2015

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

European, East Asian

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

—

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

2 IVF

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Poor Egg Quality, Uterine Fibroids, Other

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

He is genuine & kind. He gave us the percentages & was willing to work with us to help us achieve our goal of having a child. I miss not being able to see him regularly as I would my obgyn. He is one special doctor!

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

I felt like a human because his team took care of me & my concerns. Someone was always there to support me & answer any questions I might have.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

2 rounds of IVF involving injectibles & success in round 2!

Describe your experience with your nurse.

Awesome communicators, personable, caring, sympathetic. The best nurses I've encountered & I work in the medical field.

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

Great hours, staff & facility. No problems with getting appointments when I needed them. Top notch!

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

Around $5000 out of pocket for 2 rounds of IVF, including meds. I'm lucky to have good insurance.

10

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

9

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

5

Age

39

Treated

2013

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

3 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

5

He [Dr. Christopher Sipe] is very friendly & honest. I think his biggest fault is the system he works in which is big & not personal. He explained the big picture, but left the nurses to explain the details. He was always willing to help out - especially in the donor egg process...He was personable. explained things fully to me. responded to my questions. was available by email...It's just really hit or miss with nurses at FCI. Some are amazing & others are just going through a protocol that they have to follow

+ Read more

Age

39

Treated

2013

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

Latino

Income

$100K - $199K

Occupation

Doctor

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 3 Docs

Treatment

3 IUI, IVF, Donor Eggs

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

5

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

He is very friendly & honest. I think his biggest fault is the system he works in which is big & not personal. He explained the big picture, but left the nurses to explain the details. He was always willing to help out - especially in the donor egg process

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Make sure to ask all your questions
ask for the email for him directly

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

He was personable. explained things fully to me. responded to my questions. was available by email

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

i don't remember exactly
but we started with low dose and then proceeded up

Describe your experience with your nurse.

It's just really hit or miss with nurses at FCI. Some are amazing & others are just going through a protocol that they have to follow

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

they see a lot of patients
they have early morning hours before work
they see so many patients - sometimes you feel like a hamster on a wheel
impersonal nurses especially at chicago site

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

10,000

5

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

7

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

6

Age

37 - 39

Treated

2014 - 2016

Success with this Doc

No

Treatment

3 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained

6

I just felt he [Dr. Sipe] didnt not have time for one on one to go into details. He was kind and polite but not enough patient care...Ask questions and take notes. Dont be afriad to tell him to repeat it his answers...

+ Read more

Age

37 - 39

Treated

2014 - 2016

Success with this Doc

No

Race

Black or African-American

Income

$50K - $99K

Occupation

Operations

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1st of 2 Docs

Treatment

3 IUI, 2 IVF

Diagnosis

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Unexplained

6

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

It was professional and pleasant.

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Ask questions and take notes. Dont be afriad to tell him to repeat it his answers.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?

I just felt he didnt not have time for one on one to go into details. He was kind and polite but not enough patient care.

Describe the protocols Christopher Sipe used in your cycles and their degree of success.

I really don't remember but a lot of lupron and progesterone

Describe your experience with the nursing staff.

Antoinette was very kind

Describe your experience with Fertility Centers of Illinois.

They do not have up to date equipment and they are slow

Describe the costs associated with your care under Christopher Sipe.

$32000 with insurance

What specific things went wrong at this clinic?

Lost paperwork

Lost appointments

Failed to call with results

Failed to inform you of changes in protocol

Provided conflicting information

Failed to convey critical information

6

Doctor

Christopher Sipe

Communication

Trustworthiness

Compassion

Explained risks

Adaptability

Frequency seen during appointments

6

Clinic

Fertility Centers of Illinois

Chicago

Nursing

Operations

Scheduling

Billing

Clinic Atmosphere

Educational Resources

– Read less

10

Age

42 - 44

Treated

2011 - 2013

Success with this Doc

Yes

Treatment

3 IVF, Donor Eggs

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

10

I highly recommend Dr. Sipe. he is a very honest and caring person. I felt that he did not lead me on about my chances. he was easy to understand. Dr Sipe was very smart and is a good doctor. It was a good experience working with him!...He was very honest with me and I felt that he cared about me...Be prepared to hear the truth...

+ Read more

Age

42 - 44

Treated

2011 - 2013

Success with this Doc

Yes

Race

Ashkenazi Jewish

Income

$200K - $499K

Occupation

Lawyer

Order & Number of Docs Seen

1 Doc Seen

Treatment

3 IVF, Donor Eggs

Diagnosis

Diminished Ovarian Reserve

10

How was your experience with Christopher Sipe?

I highly recommend Dr. Sipe. he is a very honest and caring person. I felt that he did not lead me on about my chances. he was easy to understand. Dr Sipe was very smart and is a good doctor. It was a good experience working with him!

What one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Christopher Sipe?

Be prepared to hear the truth.

During treatment, did you feel like you were treated like a number or a human?